Through press conferences and social media posts AAP leaders cried political vendetta by the BJP-led government in the Centre.
New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) act of carrying out raids at Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia’s residence and others in connection with the alleged corruption in the Delhi Excise Policy sparked off a war of words between the ruling and Opposition parties.
Showing solidarity with Manish Sisodia, senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders swung into action. Through press conferences and social media posts they alleged political vendetta by the BJP-led government in the Centre. AAP leaders said Sisodia is being framed owing to the work done by him in the field of education. Party leaders alleged that the BJP is using central agencies to suppress the voice of its political opponents.
Moments after the team of the probe agency reached Sisodia’s residence, he tweeted, “CBI has come. They are welcome. We are extremely honest. Making the future of millions of children. It is very unfortunate that those who do good work in our country are harassed like this. That is why our country has not yet become number-1.”
The Deputy CM further said, “These people are troubled by the excellent work of Delhi’s education and health. That is why the Health Minister and Education Minister of Delhi have been arrested so that the good work of education health can be stopped. There are false allegations against both of us. The truth will come out in court.”
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, too, came out in support of his deputy. Kejriwal, in a tweet, said, “The day when the Delhi education model was praised and Manish Sisodia’s picture was printed on the front page of America’s largest newspaper NYT, the Centre sent CBI to Manish’s house. We welcome CBI. Will cooperate fully. There have been many tests/raids in the past as well. Nothing came out. Still nothing will come out.”
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Raghav Chadha, another senior party leader and Rajya Sabha MP, held a press conference in which he said, “In today’s New York Times, there has been a lot of applause for the education revolution of the Arvind Kejriwal government. The same morning the BJP’s CBI raided the house of Manish Sisodia, the hero of that education revolution. They (BJP) got a lot of raids done in eight years, but did not get anything. Keep getting it done even further — we will fully cooperate in the investigation.”
Senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh held a press conference in which he said, “Had the liquor policy been an issue, there would have been an investigation in Gujarat for making poisonous liquor by BJP leaders. Was there a CBI inquiry? Their motive is to stop Arvind Kejriwal and the education and health models. Modi ji, come out of your small thoughts, Kejriwal ji is not going to stop.”
He further said that US’s New York Times, which used to print that millions died of Coronavirus in Modi regime, discussed Kejriwal’s education model with a photo of Manish Sisodia. “Modi ji should be happy with the country but he is getting CBI raids done,” Singh said.
Meanwhile, Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta held a press conference in which he made a series of allegations against the Delhi government. Gupta said, “The Arvind Kejriwal-led government, which patronises the liquor mafia inside Delhi, is talking about its honesty. It is that liquor policy which the Deputy CM used to say would bring benefits worth thousands of crores in revenue and after the CBI investigation, he started saying the policy will face losses.”
Gupta further alleged, “Manish Sisodia, who always talks about honesty, waived off Rs 144 crore of liquor mafia, reduced the price rates of liquor bottles, conducted scam of crores of rupees by colluding with the liquor mafia and awarded contracts to blacklisted companies. The sudden decrease in Delhi’s revenue is the result of all this.”
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Senior BJP leader and Lok Sabha MP Harsh Vardhan said, “The corrupt and dishonest Kejriwal government has no right to continue in governance. Kejriwal’s identity is pf a corrupt chief minister. For his own benefit, Kejriwal did the work of intoxicating the youth and women of Delhi. The Kejriwal government has looted the people in the name of liquor in Delhi and people will take their government to task.”